The overall goal of this application is to strengthen the intellectual physical, and administrative infrastructure for clinical research at Meharry Medical College. The proposal has two specific aims; 1) To strengthen the intellectual infrastructure for clinical research by moving closer to a critical mass of clinical investigators in the areas of genetics/sickle cell disease, kidney disease, and AIDS/infectious diseases. This will be done by employing three new faculty members--one senior physician scientist and two junior physician scientists--in the departments of internal medicine and pediatrics. These investigators will receive start-up funds to establish laboratories and joint appointments in basic science departments to connect them with Meharry's strongest research units. They will be expected to generate half their salary support from extramural finding within three years. The manner in which these investigators are recruited, selected, and developed will mark a major departure from the service orientation of clinical departments in the past, and will serve as a model for strengthening clinical research at Meharry. 2) To enrich the scientific, physical and administrative infrastructure for clinical research by expanding the clinical research center (CRC) commensurate with the amount of clinical research being conducted at Meharry. This will be achieved by principally enlarging the staff of the CRC to include a research nurse, acquiring stable biostatistical services, and upgrading the core laboratory.